The starter's gun not only signifies the beginning of today's pentathlon and the Spring Fling state tournament, but is also the first step of a very busy week for Baylor's Selena Popp. The junior will attempt to become the first track & field athlete in school history to repeat as pentathlon state champion when that event kicks off the week-long Spring Fling today at Middle Tennessee State University.

"She'll have to be at her best because its a tougher field this year and it's a long, tough day," Baylor coach Bill McMahan said.

Popp, who won last year's Division II state pentathlon by just one point, qualified for this year's event with the second-highest point total, 20 behind Ensworth freshman Tyra Gitten. She is also the only area athlete to qualify in five total events, set to compete in the 100-meter hurdles, 300 hurdles, high jump and triple jump in Thursday's girls' state track meet.

"It's definitely going to be a big week," Popp said. "It would mean so much to win it again and be the first from my school to do that. I've been looking at scores from around the state, and it will come down to who is on their game most. (Gitten) has events she'll be better in, and I have some that I feel confident in myself.

"The biggest thing about this year is that everyone in the event is better than last year. There are four of us who scored 200 more points than the 3,100 I won with last year, so that shows you what a strong field it is. To win would be a great way to jumpstart the week, but if I perform well I'll be happy. If I do my best and someone is better, there's nothing I can do about that."

Tyner's Vivian Smith will also compete in today's Class A/AA pentathlon and three more individual events Thursday, while teammate Alexis Wilson had the fastest qualifying times in both the 100 and 200 meters.

The Chattanooga area actually had the top three times in the A/AA 100-meter field, and four of the top five qualifying times in that event, with Arts & Sciences' Lennex Walker following Wilson and defending spring champion McKenzie Ethridge of Signal Mountain turning in the third-fastest qualifying time. Signal Mountain's Mallory Young leads area distance runners, having qualified in the 800, 1600 and 3200 meters.

Today is also the first of the two-day boys' decathlon, with only McCallie's Andrew Sharpe competing in that grueling event. The rest of the boys' track & field events will take place Friday, with Cleveland's Tyler Davis competing in the 100, 200 meters, long jump and anchoring the 4x100 relay and McCallie's C.J. Fritz looking to repeat as state champion in the 100 meters and will also run the 200 and anchor the 4x100.